Mercury-meter.



Wimesses:

PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

F. HOLDEN.

MERCURY METER. APPLIOATION FILED 4111.24. 1806.

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mew 01". I Fm K Holden. y QJQM' No. 858,789. PATENTED MAY 14, 1907. P. HOLDEN.

' MERCURY METER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

22 f Fm K Holde r F9- by No. 853,789. PATENTED MAY 14, 1907 RHOLDEN. MERCURY METER.

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 24. 1906.

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mremo/"x \L, Fran/r Hob m, W @QM Z the apparatus is connected,

' NITED STATE-s PATENT oFFIoia' FRANK HOLDEN, 0F Lennon, ENGLAND, sissieiioii TO GENERAL ELECTiiltl COMPANY, A UORPORATlQNJOF NEW YORK.

MERCURY-METER;

To all whom it may cancer/1,.-

Be 1t known that I, FRANK liOLDEN, a citizen ot the United States, residing at 1 Harco'urt Buildings, Temple, London, England,

on either continuous or a1ternating-cilrrent electric circuits.

My invention is based upon thei'act that when a liquid conductor carrying an electric \QlI'I'GIlt is placed in a magnetic field, a continuous displacement of the liquid is caused which may be used as a measure of the electrical condition of the circuit on which the coiuluctor is connected. in the employment of a device of this kind as a watt-hour or ampere hour meter in which means is provided for registering the total displaccnnent oi liquid in a given time, it is necessary in order to obtain accurate indications that the movement of the liquid shall be retarded in direct proportion to the rate at which the flow takes place.

l have discovered that by including in the channel, through which. the liquid circulates,

a tube of capillary dimensions and suitable length, a retardation proportional to the rate of flow of the liquid may be obtained, and that by means of this, construction an accurate registration of ampere or watt-hours maybe obtained.

My invention, accordingly, consists in pro viding meter ol the type described. with a channel comprising a capillary tube properly dimensioned for :lurnishingthe desired retardation.

hen the apparatus is to be used an ampere-hour meter a constant magnetic field is employed such as would be obtained from a permanent magnet, and when a wattdiour meter is desired a field magnet 18 provided the strength of which varies in proportion to the voltage variation of'the circuit on winch My invention also deals with lmproved devices ior registering the amount of flow of liquid which has taken place in a given time.

' In carrying my invention into effect according to one modification I provide'a magnet having a pair of pole-pieces which are embedded in a block of insulating material Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 24, 1906'. Serial lloi 297,600.

led through one of the blocks.

:atented May 14:, 19071 and are separated from each other by a nan This air gap forms part ol a channel which may be of flat rectangular seC- w.

tion this channel being cut in the insulating block, and extending beyond the pole-piecesl'or a short distance on either side thereof] The channel is filled witlrmercury or other suitable liquid conductor and opens at its exs tremitii-is into two cavities formed in the insulating block and also filled with mercuiy.

Extending into these reservoirs is a pair of capillary tubes which are connected together by a tubular channel containing a movable piston. The parts of this channel and-the tubes connected therewith on oppositevsides of the piston are also filled with mercury.

Electrical .conductors are provided which make contact with the mercury on a line at right angles to the axis of flow of the mercury in the channel and situated in the field between the magnet pole-pieces. By meansot these conductors the mercury may be connected in an electric circuit so as to carry the whole or a portion ol" the current flowing therein.- Instead of forming the mercury channel in a solid block as above described, a pair of liat rectangular blocks of insulating material or of non-magnetic metal having insulated surfaces may be provided. These blocks are simerimposed one on the other with an intervening layer of insulating material such as mica which is separated along a line parallel to one oi the edges of the blocks so as to form the mercury channel. The blocks at each end oi this channel are bored out to form themercury reservoir cavities and. to receive the extremities of the capillary tubes.

of which the current is taken through the channel between fixed terminal conductors -Where the apparatus is to be used as an am erehour meter the magnetic field is furnis ed by a permanent magnet or equivalent ma net roducin a constant ma 'netic field. valve is a ain actuated so as to reverse the D D 23 I In the case however where .it is used. as a watt-hour meter an clectromagnct is employed which is excited by means of a potential winding connected across the supply circuit, theJnagnetiron being worked below saturation.

The form of instrument just described is arranged so that the current does not flow continuously through the conductor in the same direction. The leading-in conductors are therefore connected to the terminals of a reversing switch adapted to be actuated by movement of the piston above mentioned, so that the current in the mercury is continually being reversed so long as the meter is in operation.

If we assume current flowing through the channel in one. direction a diiicrence of pressure will be produced between the two sides of the piston by the inter-action of the magnetic field and the current, causing the piston to move in one direction. The piston in' its movement actuates the reve'sing switch so as to cause the current in the mercury channel to reverse in direction. A. difference of pressure is then developed in the opposite direction, causing the piston to return to its initial position, when the switch is again actuated and the movements just referred to are repeated continuously so long as the instrument is in operation.

In order to register the number of reversals and therefore the time integral of the mercury flow, the piston may operate an ordinary meter train of wheels mechanically or its movement maybe utilized for the purpose of operating a relay switch controlling the circuit of an electrically operated recording mechanism.

According to a modification of thc arrangc ment just described, in which the flow ol cur rent in the liquid conductor is continuously in the same direction, the tree ends of the ca illary tubes are (onnected to a reversing val vc which iannmunicatcs with opposite sides of a movable piston situated in a closed cylinder lillcd with mercury. The valve is arranged to be actuated by the piston. sumiirc that the meter is in operation with the valve placed so as to establish communication bctwccn one side of the piston and the capillary tube connected to the outlet of tin mercury channel and between the opposite side ol the piston and the capillary tube connected to the inlet ol the mercury channel the mercury llow will cause movement of the piston in one direction. The piston toward the end of its travel actuatcs the reversing valve so as to reverse the connections between the outlet and inlet capillary tubes and the communicating passages between the valve and the cylinder. The direction of travel of the piston then reverses and when the litter rcturns to its initial position tl 'constmcted tlfal the current through the l l l l l l i wil h a chamber 9 containing a movable movement. The piston therel'ore assumes a reciprocatinp movement with a unid rectional liiercury llowso long as the meter is in operation. The movements of the iision arc registered as in the example first r csci ihed.

it will be obvious that other means than those above. described may be adopted lor registering the total flow of nuncnry. For example the inlet to the mercury channel situated in the magnetic field may be supplied from a constant level reservoir and the amount of mercury which flows through the capillary outlet tube may be collected in a graduated vessel or other well known means may be provided for estimating the total flow which has taken place in a given time.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention, Figure 'l is a side clevation ol a mercury meter embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 a. plan of the meter motor and mercury channel; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the meter motor; Fig. 4: is a l ace view of one of the blocks forming the mercury chamber; Fig. is a sectional view of the reversing switch; Fig. 6 is a diagram of a form of instrument employing an clcctromagnetic field; Figs. 7, {3 and 9 are views ol :1 modified construction of meter motor; Fig. ll) shows a meter with a modii'ied form of reg- 'istering device; and Figs. 11, i2 and 1?, show details of the same.

1 represents a permanent magnet provided with pole-pieces 2, 2 (see Fig. 3) of soft iron. These pole-pieces are embedded in blocks 3, 3 ol' insulating material such as slate or of nonnnagnctic material unaffected by mercury. The polar extremities are flush with the surfaces of the blocks. The blocks are clamped together with an intervening layer of insulating sheet t ol mica or other suitable material which is cut, as shown in Fig. l so as to form the channel 5 through which'the mercury llows and the connections 6, 6 for conveying the electric current across the incrcui v. The thickness of the mica-sheet is such a. to'lcave an interpolar gap of about .01 cm., in a. meter whose maximum capacity is 5 an pcresg and the mercury channel is so mercury is wholly confined within the field of the magnet. The blocks are drilled so as to form sockets l'or tubes 7, 7 wholly or partially of capillary bore communicating with the channel 5, and into the holes drilled in the blocks on an axis at right angles to that ol' the tubes, arc sealed conducting plugs 8, S which make electrical contact with the mercury in the connections 6, 6".

The tubes connect at their free extremities plunger ll) (Fig. 5). This plunger may be of glass, iron or other suitable material not allecicd by mercury, having a sufiicienily l'rcc lit within the chamber not to allow leakage oi mercury between it and the wall of the chamber 9. The channel 5, the tubes 7, 7 and the chamber 9 on either side of the plunger are completely filled with mercury. The .plunger carries a pin 11 projecting through the slot in the wall of the chain her 9 which pin is adapted tobridge two con tacts at either extreme of movement and thereby close the circuit of'the registering magnet 12.: The armature of this magnet carries a pawl which is drawn forward over a ratchet-wheel and on its retreat actuates the register 13: On blwfOIWfiI'd movement of the armature a reversing switch 14 changes the connections of the leads 15, 15 connecting the meter to the consumption circuit.

' Any suitable and well known connection be" tween the magne'tarmat-ure and; die switch may be employed for this purpose. One such coniiection is .illustrated,, comprising the pawl 23, the" ratchet and the cam 25, but the particular form of this connection is -no part of my invention, andany other well known arrangement may be employed. Thus it will'be' seen that when the circuit is closed on" the leads 16, 16* ofthe meter, current passes by plugs -8 and 8 through the mercury in the channel 5 between the mag net poles, and the-mercury,is. displaced out of the field, the motor acting in fact like a pump, the pressure oli-which' is proportional to the intensity of current passing. Solong as the circuit-is closed on the terminalslti, 16, .a continuous fiow..ofllmercurywill be, maintained in one direction through the, channel. 5and=connecting tubes 7, 7 causing the plunger 10., to-moye in the. directionoi flow. :Aslthis llow is retarded, by'the capil, lary section of the tubes, it" the tubesmare roperly dimensioned ,BSpbO diameter and ength the rate of llow will be, prop;)rtional to the current, the l'low of li quid in, alcapil lary tube beingproportional. within certain limits, depending on the lengthiand diameter of the tube,',to tlie ,liilerence of pressure pro: ducing the how. The length and diameter of the capillary tube necessaryior obtaining accurate measurement aredependent on the capacity of tho instrun'ieiitand can bereadily determined expel-imentally for any particular design in a manner which will be obvious i "to those skilled in the art.

' register.

When the plunger 10 reaches the end of its travel in one direction, thereversing switch. 14 is ;actuated causing the direction of mercury iflow tp be reversed, the number of reversals or the total iiow in units of current being. indicated. on the dials of the meter 7 Thus with an instrument of the kind just described we are provided with an amperel'iour meter, since the register will integrate the instantaneous values of the current flowing through the mercury at different consecutive instants of time,

Obviously the instrument may be converted into a watt-meter by varying the field-strength in accordance with the poten-' tial of the circuit. The instrument shown in the diagram, Fig. 6, is of this kind. A winding is provided for the ironcore which con- 7o stitutes the field-magnet, instead of the permanent magnet depicted in Fig. 1. The number of turns on-the iron core is calmu-Q Llated with a View to exciting the magnet; ,"Ia' point below saturation for the maximum-1pm 5 tential of the system, a resistance as indicatedat 17 being interposed to cut down thecurrent. Obviously the field might be cre .ated without the assistance of iron by placing I This, however, will be far less sensitive than the arrangement already described. (Vhere small currents are to be'int'eg rated the current leads to the mercury chamber may be in 3 ii mountthem inshunt to a're'sistance 26 in one of the mains of the loadcircuit, a's'indi cated'in Figs. 1 and 6. i i i .In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is shown in which the two blocks whichform themero cury motor are separated by a'sh'eet of mica 18 in which the mercury-space is formed by cutting in it a cruciform opening, the central portionoi which is located wholly within the field of a pair of pole p'i'eces-l l9 sealed 51 into therectangular blocks of slateiZO, 20, The two ends of one limb of the opening communicate through openings in the block with the tubes 21, 21 throughwhich the I mercury flow takes place, while the mercury in; at the ends of the other limb makes contact with the leading-iii conductors22, 22? for" conveying the current through. themercury;

Instead of employing a reversing switch", as in Fig-i5, and the electrosn iagnetic register r05 trated in Figs. 10 to 13, in whicl'i tlierc is' llltt-ElPOSBCllIl the circulating system a simple paddle-wheel 29 revolving inf a closed cylin drical'box 28! The paddle wheelmaybe 1'10 provided with a numberof' rectangular vanes a projecting radially from a central. spindle 3O 1 all mounted mereurytight within the box". The clearance between the vanes and tire box should be slight so as to prevent leakage r from one side to the other except by moving the vanes. The mercury fills the spacebc tweenthe vanes of half the wheel and is led in at one side of the cylindrical portion of the box and leaves from the other side. As the mercury does not wet the material of the box, which may be of glass, iron or other material not wet by mercury, there is no tendency for the mercury to leak from the inlet to the outlet between the vanes and the boX so that the vanes need only have a capillary fit within the box. A register of this kind will not require a reversing switch, since the mercury, so long as it is maintained. in movement, can

flow in a continuous direction and keep the 130 the iield coils close to the mercury chamber, 8c 7 l series with the load. 1 prefer, however, to 255" T amodificatio'n indicated, 1 may use the arrangement illusvanes in motion. For operating the registering train, the spindle 30 may project through the box and be provided with a gear 31 engaging with the registering tram.

Since the mercury llow is always in one direcl tion, only one of the tubes leading ,l'rom the meter to the paddle-wreel need be capillary.

' In Fig 10 the tube 27 'is-shown as capillary,

while the tube 27 is not so shown. The arrangement of the mercury chamber shown in Fig. 13 is substantially the same as that shown in Figs. 7, S and S), and correspomling .parts are similarly numbered, so that this dimensioned to oli'er a retardation to the flow 1 of the liquid proportional to the rate of ilow. 3. An electric meter comprising a stream of liquid, an electric pump varying in power according to the load current. and a capillary tube through which the stream must pass dimensioncd to otler a retardation to the low of l the liquid proportional to the rate of (low.

, 4. Amercury meter comprising a mercury chamber inclosed by a magnetic held, current leads from the consumption circuit to said chamber, a duct leading to and from the chamber comprising a capillary tube dimensioncd to ollcr a retardation to the llow ol the liquid proportional to the rate 0t llow, and

an integrating recorder measuring the me."- cury flow.

5. Amercury meter comprising a magnet ic held, a narrow mercury chamber within said field, current leads from the cuit to said chamber, and a closed channel for consumption cirleading the mercury to and from said chamber comprising a capillary tube dimensioned to oli'er a retardation to the [low of the liquid proportional to the rate of flow.

(5. An electric meter comprising a chamber for a conducting liquid inclosed in a magnetic lield, current loads to and from the liqu'rtlj a circulating system 'lor delivering liquid to and from the chamber free from hydrostatic head,

said systcn'i having a capillary tube at some point through which the stream must pass dimensioned to oll'er a retardation to the flow of the liquid proportional to the rate of flow, and a register for the amount of liquid passing in a definite time.

7 7. An electric meter comprising blocks of insulating material, a layer of incompressible insulating material between said blocks having a channel formed therein, a magnet having its poles extending into said blocks close to said channel, current-leads extending to said channel through said blocks, and aclosed liquid duct having its ends opening into said channel.

8. An electric meter comprising blocks of insulating material, a layer of incompressiliile insulating material between said blocks having a channel formed therein, a magnethav ing its poles extending into said blocks close to said channel, current-leads extending to said channel through said blocks, and a closed liquid duct having its ends opening into said channel and comprising a capillary tube dimensioned to otl'er a retardation to a liquid ilow proportional to the rate of How.

J. A mercury meter comprising a narrow mercury chamber inclosed by a magnetic iield, current-hauls to and from the mercury, a duct for leading the mercury to and from the chamber, a register, and a reversing switch actuated by reversal of mercury low operating said register.

in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10 day of January, 1906.

FRANK HOLDEN l J. SKOYLES, ll. 1). Jarauson. 

